CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the...

5
ILLUSTRATION BY I LOVE DUST CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: JAKE KLINGENSMITH; GARTH MILAN/RED BULL PHOTOFILES; JORG MITTER/RED BULL PHOTOFILES; ERIC LARS BAKKE/SHAzAMM/ESPN IMAGES 92 HEDLINE MOTO .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. .................. ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................... step on/step off Hit the jump and land on the tabletop in the middle. Here’s where it gets tricky: Touch down both wheels at the same time while giving a burst of throttle, then bounce off the table as if you were doing a bunny hop. Do that and you should be able to down-side the next jump. 6 the whoops Keep the bike straight on entry. Stay on the balls of your feet, eyes focused four or five whoops ahead. The idea is to skim the tops, so stay on the gas to keep momentum. Most like to sit as far back as possible, but I stay centered over the bike for control. No coincidence that the whoops are my best obstacle. 5 the corners This is where the race is won and lost. Stay with your line. Shift your weight forward, and extend your inside leg for leverage. Avoid looking outside your line because the bike follows your eyes. If you brake coming into the corner, get on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm sections The second section is tricky. Hit the first single and down-side the wedge, landing on the far side to pop out of the next jump onto the tabletop. Repeat. Experiment in practice to find the quickest way through, and keep your options open, because the track could deteriorate as the race goes on. 3 the triple jump Exit the corner in second gear to hit the first jump with speed to carry the distance—the idea is to get back to ground quickly. To save a second, I’ll try to scrub it (see page 86). A sharp turn follows, so land with the gas on, turn immediately and prepare to launch. 4 LEVI SHERWOOD Age 17 Hometown Palmerston North, New Zealand SPoRt Freestyle Motocross Winner: 2009 Red Bull X-Fighters, Mexico City (youngest X-Fighters champ) CLAIm Ruler, a trick where bike and rider are fully extended vertically Few at the Red Bull X-Fighters event in Mexico City expected much from Levi Sherwood, but in his first major comp (replacing the injured Twitch Stenberg), the “Rubber Kid” wowed with his gymnasticlike style and won the whole enchilada. “I’m pretty uncoordinated in most sports,” says Sherwood, “but anything with wheels is a different story.” And thanks to that win, he was invited to 2009 X. NAME TO DROP Freestyle moto X made its X debut in 1999, quickly becoming one of the most popular events. In a 60-second run, riders throw as many as five or six tricks off the jumps. The event looks sick, but even veterans have trouble figuring out how the five judges score them. We asked Regis Harrington, who’s helped pick X Games winners since 2001, for a judge’s-eye view. StAY FReSH “Don’t throw the same trick twice in a run. There’s no set deduction, but it affects the score,” which is based on overall impression, not points per trick. SAVe tHe BeSt FoR LASt Guys take three runs in the elimination round, three in the second and three in the final. “Have a trick for the final that you haven’t shown yet, one that’ll wow the judges and the crowd.” SURPRISe AnD Awe “Innovation is huge.“ Travis Pastrana unveiled his first 360 at X, which got him gold. “Recently, fans complained the sport is just a backflip contest. This year, riders need variation—they have to dig out their best right-side-up tricks again.” YoU CAn Be ReCKLeSS—JUSt Don’t LooK It Harrington’s most challenging task is judging style: “There’s no compulsory element in freestyle, but riders should be in control of the bike and the flow.” PASSING JUDGMENT TO NAVIGATE THE MOTO X SUPER X AT SUMMER X, JUST FOLLOW CHAD REED’S LINE—IF YOU CAN. A TWO-TIME AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMP, REED IS FAMED FOR HIS TECHNICAL SKILL. THAT’S WHY WE ASKED HIM TO SHOW US THE INS AND OUTS OF ONE LAP AROUND THE HALF-MILE CIRCUIT AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER. BIKES CROSSING the start Holeshot is crucial—you don’t want to play catch-up on this track. The straight is long, so start in second gear. Gate position is important; snag a spot between the middle and the far left for a direct path to the turn. A lot of bikes must squeeze into a small space at the turn; get in front to avoid being pinched. 1 2 5 1 4 6 3 JEREMY LUSK BRIAN DEEGAN ON … “After he won freestyle last year, Jeremy was so excited. A few years earlier he was just a kid trying to learn to ride. We brought him into the Mulisha and helped him. He took advantage of everything we had to offer. He paid us back by winning. All day, every day, I think about him.” .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................. CAUTION: EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeremy Lusk (left) died Feb. 10 at the age of 24 after crashing during a competition in Costa Rica. He was Deegan’s Metal Mulisha teammate. EDITOR’S NOTE:

Transcript of CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the...

Page 1: CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm

ILLUSTRATION BY I LOVE DUST

CLO

CKW

ISE

FRO

M T

OP:

JAK

E K

LIN

GEN

SMIT

H; G

ART

H M

ILA

N/R

ED B

ULL

PH

OTO

FILE

S; JO

RG

MIT

TER

/RED

BU

LL P

HO

TOFI

LES;

ER

IC L

AR

S B

AK

KE/

SHA

zAM

M/E

SPN

IMA

GES

92

HEDLINE

MOTO

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

step on/step offHit the jump and land on the tabletop in the middle. Here’s where it gets tricky: Touch down both wheels at the same time while giving a burst of throttle, then bounce off the table as if you were doing a bunny hop. Do that and you should be able to down-side the next jump.

6

the whoopsKeep the bike straight on entry. Stay on the balls of your feet, eyes focused four or five whoops ahead. The idea is to skim the tops, so stay on the gas to keep momentum. Most like to sit as far back as possible, but I stay centered over the bike for control. No coincidence that the whoops are my best obstacle.

5

the cornersThis is where the race is won and lost. Stay with your line. Shift your weight forward, and extend your inside leg for leverage. Avoid looking outside your line because the bike follows your eyes. If you brake coming into the corner, get on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up.

2

rhythm sectionsThe second section is tricky. Hit the first single and down-side the wedge, landing on the far side to pop out of the next jump onto the tabletop. Repeat. Experiment in practice to find the quickest way through, and keep your options open, because the track could deteriorate as the race goes on.

3

the triple jumpExit the corner in second gear to hit the first jump with speed to carry the distance—the idea is to get back to ground quickly. To save a second, I’ll try to scrub it (see page 86). A sharp turn follows, so land with the gas on, turn immediately and prepare to launch.

4

LEVI SHERWOODAge 17Hometown Palmerston North, New ZealandSPoRt Freestyle Motocross Winner: 2009 Red Bull X-Fighters, Mexico City (youngest X-Fighters champ)CLAIm Ruler, a trick where bike and rider are fully extended vertically

Few at the Red Bull X-Fighters event in Mexico City expected much from Levi Sherwood, but in his first major comp (replacing the injured Twitch Stenberg), the “Rubber Kid” wowed with his gymnasticlike style and won the whole enchilada. “I’m pretty uncoordinated in most sports,” says Sherwood, “but anything with wheels is a different story.” And thanks to that win, he

was invited to 2009 X.

NAME TO DROPFreestyle moto X made its X debut in 1999, quickly becoming one of the most popular events. In a 60-second run, riders throw as many as five or six tricks off the jumps. The event looks sick, but even veterans have trouble figuring out how the five judges score them. We asked Regis Harrington, who’s helped pick X Games winners since 2001, for a judge’s-eye view.

StAY FReSH “Don’t throw the same trick twice in a run. There’s no set deduction, but it affects the score,” which is based on overall impression, not points per trick.

SAVe tHe BeSt FoR LASt Guys take three runs in the elimination round, three in the second and three in the final. “Have a trick for the final that you haven’t shown yet, one that’ll wow the judges and the crowd.”

SURPRISe AnD Awe “Innovation is huge.“ Travis Pastrana unveiled his first 360 at X, which got him gold. “Recently, fans complained the sport is just a backflip contest. This year, riders need variation—they have to dig out their best right-side-up tricks again.”

YoU CAn Be ReCKLeSS—JUSt Don’t LooK It Harrington’s most challenging task is judging style: “There’s no compulsory element in freestyle, but riders should be in control of the bike and the flow.”

PASSING JUDGMENT

TO NAVIGATE THE MOTO X SUPER X AT SUMMER X, JUST FOLLOW CHAD REED’S LINE—IF YOU CAN. A TWO-TIME AMA SUPERCROSS CHAMP, REED IS FAMED FOR HIS TECHNICAL SKILL. THAT’S WHY WE ASKED HIM TO SHOW US THE INS AND OUTS OF ONE LAP AROUND THE HALF-MILE CIRCUIT AT THE HOME DEPOT CENTER.

BIKES CROSSING

the startHoleshot is crucial—you don’t want to play catch-up on this track. The straight is long, so start in second gear. Gate position is important; snag a spot between the middle and the far left for a direct path to the turn. A lot of bikes must squeeze into a small space at the turn; get in front to avoid being pinched.

1

2

51

4

6 3

JEREMY LUSKBRIAN DEEGAN ON …

“After he won freestyle last year, Jeremy was so excited. A few years earlier he was just a kid trying to learn to ride. We brought him into the Mulisha and helped him. He took advantage of everything we had to offer. He paid us back

by winning. All day, every day, I think about him.”

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

CAUTION:

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeremy Lusk (left) died Feb. 10 at the age of 24 after crashing during a competition in Costa Rica. He was Deegan’s Metal Mulisha teammate.EDITOR’S NOTE:

Page 2: CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm

Hometown San Diego, Calif.first X 2007Claim Fourth in 2007, seventh in 2008; youngest rider in this year’s vert field. GusH “Tony is a freak and an innovator. If you don’t admire Tony Hawk, then you don’t understand the sport.”

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Tony Hawk Why did you get into vert skating? alex Perelson I watched people skate vert, and it looked like fun. I sucked at first. It took a long time for me to learn tricks. I remember being really scared to try stuff, but when guys you look up to are around, you take more risks. TH Have you learned anything new for X Games this year?aP A kickflip 540. I’ve been trying to do a back smith backside revert and frontside rodeos. I’m working on a 900.TH You land it yet?aP I’m close.TH To this day, it takes me 10 to 20 tries to do a 900. And they’re not just attempts. They are tragic failings. Speaking of which, how do you think the mega ramp has changed skateboarding? aP It’s the most exciting event at X. I think people go to see skaters slam, like Jake Brown in 2007. You were commentating when that happened. TH I got a lot of flak because Jake was unconscious on the ground, and I said on TV, “I can’t believe he made the 720!” He had never done a 720 over the 70-foot gap. I had a producer in my ear saying, “Keep it going.” What do you say when someone is lying there and you don’t know if he’s dead or alive? It all felt crazy and tragic. aP Do you like being on the other side of the competition? TH I like lending my

expertise of trick knowledge. But I don’t get philosophical. I don’t try to get in people’s heads when I commentate. But I’ll try and get inside your head this year.aP I bet the X Games have changed a lot since the first year you competed. TH Skating was at a low point in popularity. We all skated because we loved it, not because we thought we would be rich and famous. aP I see a lot of kids at the skate park who want the fame. You can tell who they are because their parents tell them what tricks to do.TH And when you skate with them, you can tell their heart isn’t in the act of skating. It’s in what skating can get them. But when they get a taste of fame, they lose motivation and fall off. They get the girls, the money and the party invites, and they’re gone. Did you ever want to be a superstar? aP All little skate kids want to be like Tony Hawk. I just wanted to skate vert well. TH To this day, I can’t believe people recognize me because I ride a skateboard. A few weeks ago, I got invited to the White House because I’m a professional skateboarder. aP That must have been cool. TH It was absurd and amazing. After all the places I have been kicked out of on my skateboard, I got to skate in the White House. And I was invited to do it.

Three weeks before the end of his freshman year at Dundee-Crown High, Ortiz received an e-mail. “It was from the X Games,” Ortiz says. “I was like, ‘What is this?’ ” He opened it to find his first invitation to the X Games, to compete in this year’s skateboard street event. “I thought, This is sweet,” Ortiz says, emphasizing the eeeeet. But Ortiz shouldn’t have been surprised. In the past year, he’s become one of the best and most fluid skaters in the sport. During the 2008 Dew Tour season, he beat most of the skaters he’ll face in Los Angeles. That makes Ortiz more than just the new kid on the block. It makes him a gold medal favorite. “I just want to skate my best,” Ortiz says. “Winning would be nice, but I would never expect that. I’m just excited to meet all the guys again. And California is a nice place to skate.” Not a bad place for a summer job, either.

AleX Perelson wAs 8 when he watched Tony Hawk land skating’s first 900 at the 1999 X Games. Perelson still has the dollar bill Hawk autographed for him that year. now Hawk is eyeing Perelson, the only teenager to reach skate vert finals at X in four years. In early July, the Icon and the Future met at Tony Hawk Inc. in Vista, Calif., to rehash 15 years of X. lucky for you, we were there.

Clo

CKw

Ise

Fro

M T

oP:

seA

n C

ro

nA

n; A

TIB

A Je

FFer

son

; ZA

CH

Co

rD

ner

PH

OTO

GR

AP

H B

Y M

AR

LA R

UTH

ERFO

RD

96

ON THE UP-AND-UP

STREET WATCH

SKATE

In 2008, Baker nailed her run in the Maloof Cup, ripping a 360 flip over a gap and dominating the stairs, before a fractured ankle sidelined her for the X Games. This year, she’ll huddle with fellow street maven Vanessa Torres for a week to hone tricks for her X return. Then it’s off to college. “I want to study graphic design,” says Baker, “then get a job in the skate industry.” Think a medal will qualify for extra credit?

LACEy BAKERaGe 17Hometown Covina, Calif.sport StreetClaim Third place at 2006 X Games street; 2008 Maloof Cup women’s street champ

It’s been a few years since he was pegged the “next Eric Koston,” thanks to feathery rail slides, effortless flips and Asian background (Koston is half-Thai, Malto is half-Filipino). But the comparison most folks will now make is to Chaz Ortiz, Malto’s new teammate on the Gatorade G Squad. If he’s not careful, he’ll step out of one shadow and right into another one.

SEAn MALToaGe 19Hometown Leavenworth, Kan.sport StreetClaim Transworld’s Best Rookie (2008); 10th place at 2008 X Games

THE ICon

Tony HAWK, 41, sKATEBOARD VERT

Hometown San Diego, Calif.first X 1995 (last competed in 2003 X Games)Claim Most recognizable skateboarder in the world, third most followed athlete on Twitter (after Shaq and Lance Armstrong).GusH “Flip tricks and spinning tricks, the crux of what makes a successful vert skater, come easy to Alex. He is on his way to blowing people out of the water.”

sHaun wHite’s Top THREE X GAMES MoMEnTS

Tony Hawk’s lanDInG THe FIrsT 900 on a vert ramp, in 1999. I remember watching on TV and wishing I were there to storm the ramp. I was really young and in awe of Tony.

TraVIs PasTrana’s JUMPInG HIs BIke InTo THe san FranCIsCo Bay after he won freestyle moto X gold in 1999. That was awesome.

wInnInG My FIrsT MeDal aT 2005 sUMMer x. We were all on the ramp and the lights were turned off in the Staples Center. I was standing next to Bucky Lasek. Slash was playing guitar. When they introduced us, they put the spotlight on us, one by one. I was like—I hate to say it—this is so much better than Winter X. Competing at summer X had always been my dream. Once I nailed my run, I felt like I had finally accomplished my goals. I finished second. To win two years later was amazing.

2

THE fuTuRE

ALEX pERELSon, 18, sKATEBOARD VERT

1

3

THree Teen THrAsHers Are reADY To rIP THe sPoTlIGHT FroM THe VeTs.

CHAz oRTIzaGe 15Hometown Carpentersville, Ill. (near Chicago)sport Street Claim 2007 Free Flow Tour champ; 2008 Dew Tour overall skate park champion

Page 3: CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

As the defending BMX street gold medalist, Garrett Reynolds is this summer’s rider to beat. He burst onto the pro scene four years ago and has since racked up five golds and a silver at U.S. and international X Games events. His keys to success have been consistency and a knack for combo tricks—like truck driver drop-ins and 540 bar-spin combos—that most riders

couldn’t pull off in a video game. Reynolds even blows up standard tricks, going bigger, higher, faster, scarier. Example: In his game-changing Nike 6.0 video part, he did a 360 down a set of stairs. Other riders would drop five stairs; Reynolds launched his 360 down 15.

CLO

CKW

ISE

FRO

M T

OP:

CO

URT

ESY

OF

HO

FFM

AN

EN

TER

PRIS

ES; B

O B

RID

GES

(3)

98

“Age is just a number. I’m 30 now, and in most cases, the extra years work to my advantage: I know how to put a run together, how to ad-lib if I mess up. As for the increasingly difficult tricks young riders do, it’s a matter of perspective. Everyone has a different style; what’s hard or crazy for one rider may not be for another. Mostly, I don’t worry about what others are doing. I worry about me. I’ve always been that way.”

KEEPING UP WITH THE KIDS

GARRETT REYNOLDSAge 18 Hometown Toms River, N.J.SportS BMX Street, ParkClAim A tucked no-hander to ice pick down a street railUp neXt A still-untitled MTV2 documentary, which airs this fall

NAME TO DROP

RYAN NYQUIST ON …

BMX

BIKE TO THE FUTUREAS A RIDER Mat Hoffman invented a roster of BMX tricks. Now the owner of Hoffman Bikes, the 37-year-old is revolutionizing bike design (his Superfork help set the industry standard). The greatest vert rider in history no longer competes at X, but he gets his wheels spinning by pushing equipment innovation. Take a glimpse into the head of BMX’s mad scientist.

“I started BASE jumping in a wingsuit, which takes your vertical velocity from 120 mph down to about 40. I’d like to add little wings and lifters on my bike. That way, I could hang a launch ramp from a hot-air balloon, jump from the balloon and hit the ramp midair.”

“Flat tires are a pain. It would be great to design a bike wheel that’s more like a skateboard wheel. You could create wheels with different amounts of hardness to mimic different tire pressures and eliminate the need for air.”

“Recently, I’ve been thinking about how to use brakes to control a bike in the air. I’ve been working on handlebars with brakes on the bottom that hold the front of the frame in place and keep the back from swinging. It opens the door to tricks like half-tailwhips. Someday I’ll figure it out.”

“People have tried to solve the problem of how to roll backward without the pedals engaging. Idea: Take a shaft-drive system, like they used in the 1800s, and install a clutch. You could pull a lever and separate the gears. With your back wheel free, you’d have new ways to slide and grind.”

WINGS OLD BRAKES, NEW PURPOSE

SHAfT DRIvE fLAT-TIRE fIX

Page 4: CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm

if you get tired of watching travis pastrana at the front of the field, here’s what he’ll be looking at in his rearview mirror.

RALLY

The mega ramp is spectacular. And I love watching Daniel Dhers in BMX park. I won’t miss women’s motocross. Last year I thought I’d see carnage, but they threw whips and blitzed through the whoops. I became a fan.

My other event is best trick. Look for my double backflip 360. I wanted to try BMX big air, too. If Steve McCann can’t land his trick on his first two runs, he said he’ll give me his last run. My trick: double backflip 360.

Ken Block’s the fastest but crashes a lot. Tanner Foust’s by far the best road course driver. Dave Mirra never listens to his co-driver; good thing we don’t have one at X. Brian Deegan is a showman, but I doubt he’ll be a threat.

RALLY CHECK

WHO TO WATCH IN RALLY (OTHER THAN ME) …

WHERE TO WATCH ME(OTHER THAN RALLY) … WHO I’LL BE WATCHING …

lar

s g

ra

ng

e

100

years before freestyle motocross debuted in 1999 to a dubious san francisco crowd, travis pastrana dreamed of X games gold. at 15 he got his wish—then dumped his bike into the bay. now 25, pastrana continues to deliver dramatic X moments. and despite countless concussions, he remembers most of them.

FLY SHIFTIN’

CATCH X GAMES 15 JULY 30-AUG. 2, LIVE FROM LA, ON ESPN, ESPN2 AND ABC. FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE:ESPN.COM/ACTION

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I NEVER WATCHED CARTOONS. When I was a kid, the X Games was the only TV I watched. I loved BMX.

TJ Lavin, Ryan Nyquist, Dave Mirra were my favorites.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT I’D COMPETE. I suck on a bicycle. I need a throttle. BMX rewards people

who are good. FMX rewards people willing to try.

BUT I HAD DREAMS. I did a school project on sky surfing. I thought it would be awesome to try.

SO MY SECOND CAREER WAS BORN. My sponsors said, “Don’t go to X. Freestyle’s a waste.” I was a straight-A

student, a hardworking racer. People thought freestylers were hoodlums. Then I won and jumped into the bay.

AND MY ANONYMITY WAS LOST. It’s cool to do something my grandma and her friends watch. In

2004, I got a black eye trying the 360 at the X Games. Later, an 85-year-old woman in a wheelchair saw me at the airport. She said, “I was watching you, sonny. I couldn’t believe you got up.”

ESPECIALLY AFTER THE DOUBLE. I wanna do things no one has done, to show it’s possible. It’s neat that

kids saw the double backflip and said, “I’ll do a triple.”

X LAUNCHED MY THIRD CAREER … I started rally in 2004 and was in the first X event, in 2006. I

needed a lot of work. Colin McRae, my hero, sat down at break fast one morning, and I started giggling like a little kid. He took me under his wing, but I didn’t think I had a chance. Then he rolled in the last stage, and I won by a quarter of a second. He walked over and said, “Welcome to rally.” That was one of the greatest days of my life.

… AND SET UP MORE GOALS. In 10 years, I’m in the stands seeing what the next freestylers dream up.

But I’ll race rally. As they say, “With age, get a cage.”

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Page 5: CAUTION: BIKES CROSSING HEDLINEassets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0717/ESPNMagXG15Preview.pdf · on the gas right away. Most riders lose time in the corners. I try to make it up. 2 rhythm

FRO

M L

EFT:

aTi

ba

jEFF

ERsO

n; n

aTE

CH

Ris

TEn

sOn

FRO

M L

EFT:

aTi

ba

jEFF

ERsO

n; i

an

HY

Lan

Ds/

RED

bU

LL P

HO

TOFi

LEs

104

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER No-handed 360 backflip in BMX; invented by vet Dave Mirra.

AMPLITUDE Height a skateboarder, BMXer or moto X rider rises above the lip of a ramp or halfpipe.

BACKSIDE When a skateboarder’s back faces the arc of a jump or park obstacle.

BAR HOP When a moto X rider kicks both feet forward between his arms and over the handlebars. Variations: shaolin A rider’s legs are spread outside his arms. Electric Doom A rider backflips above the bike while holding on with one arm. Created by two-time moto X best trick gold medalist Kyle Loza.

BARREL ROLL In BMX, a complete revolution around the bike’s longitudinal (front-to-back) axis. In rally, when a car flips sideways.

BLUNTSLIDE When a skater drops the board’s tail and back wheels onto a park obstacle and slides.

BOARDSLIDE A skateboard grind, with the board positioned so the rail, lip or other obstacle hits the bottom of the board

between the trucks.

BODY VARIAL When a moto X rider rolls his body sideways above the bike, then remounts and lands. Most famous varial: the Carolla, by 2004 best trick gold medalist Chuck Carothers.

BUNNY HOP In BMX, to jump both bike wheels off the ground.

CAB When a skater Ollies (see definition) into a kickflip (see definition) and then does a 360; short for Caballerial, named for Steve Caballero.

CAN CAN To stand on the pegs (moto X) or pedals (BMX) and kick one leg over the seat to the opposite side of the bike, à la a cancan dancer. Variations: no-footed Can Can Lift the plant foot off the peg or pedal. Pendulum No-footed can can to each side. switchblade Fully extend both legs on the same side. super Can Grab the seat with one hand.

CANDY BAR Midair, a moto X rider kicks one leg over the handlebars.

CLIFFHANGER In moto X or BMX, a rider lifts off his seat, hooks his feet under the handlebars, lifts his hands and rises straight above the bike.

CROOKED GRIND To ride a rail or other element on the skateboard’s nose and front truck, with the back of the board angled out. In BMX, to grind a rail with the front-left peg and rear-right peg, or vice versa.

DECADE AIR A BMX trick in which a rider lifts his feet off the pedals and rotates 360° around the front of the bike while holding the handlebars.

DIGGER A nasty fall while attempting a trick. On dirt, it’s a soil simple.

ENDO In BMX or moto, when a rider brakes the front wheel, pushes forward on the handlebars and leans forward, causing the rear wheel to rise. In rally, when a car flips end over end.

leg, reaches behind the rear leg and grabs the heel edge between the feet.

SUPERMAN In midair, a moto X rider throws his legs back to mimic the Man of Steel. Variations: indian air A Superman while scissoring the legs. superman seat Grab Grab the seat with one hand. Mulisha air Grab the seat with both hands. Rock solid Let go with both hands.

SWITCH STANCE To skate opposite the normal stance.

TAILWHIP When a BMX rider jumps, lifts his feet, swings the bike in a circle beneath him around the axis of the handlebars, then remounts before landing. Variation: Double Tailwhip Rotating the bike 720°.

TOOTHPICK GRIND In BMX, to grind a rail with the front peg only. Variation: Toothpick Hangover Grind To hang the rear of the bike over the opposite side of the rail.

TRAVEL The distance a shock on a moto X bike compresses to handle impact.

TRUCK DRIVER In BMX, a 360 while spinning the handlebars 360°. Variation: Double Truck Driver Spinning the bars 720°.

TURNDOWN An aerial BMX trick where the rider turns the handle-bars and his body toward the ground while the rest of the bike remains upright.

WHIP When the moto X rider lays the machine flat in midair. A classic.

rider lifts one leg over the back of the bike. Nac nac is “can can” (a long-ago dance involving dramatic kicks) backward.

NO-HANDER When a moto X rider lets go of the handlebars and throws his hands up. Variation: no-hander Lander Landing no-handed.

NOSEGRIND When a skateboarder rides a rail on the front truck.

NOTHING While midair in BMX or moto X, taking all limbs off the bike.

OLLIE A classic: A skateboarder taps the tail of the board on the ground, then jumps to lift the board while keeping both feet on the deck. Pioneered by Alan “Ollie” Gelfand in the late 1970s. Variation: nollie To lift the board by tapping the nose instead of the tail.

180/360/540/700/900/1080 The degrees a moto Xer, BMXer or skateboarder rotates during a trick.

RODEO When a skateboarder does a frontside 180 while throwing an inverted 360, for a total of 540°. In moto X, when a rider holds the center of his handlebars with one hand and performs a heel clicker (see definition) with the other hand overhead, like a rodeo rider.

SARAN WRAP In moto X, to throw one foot forward over the handle-bars, then remove the same-side hand and swing the leg back to the peg. Variations: Canadian saran Wrap Swing the foot from the outside in. McMetz Simultaneous saran wraps on each side; named for moto legend Mike Metzger.

SLAM When a moto Xer, BMX rider or skateboarder crashes. Hard.

SHOVE-IT When a skater jumps and spins the board underfoot before landing on it. Variation: Pop shove-it Ollie first (see definition), so the board spins in midair.

SMITH GRIND When a skater grinds a rail with the back truck and the board’s rails. In BMX, when a rider grinds a ledge with a front peg while the back tire rolls on top of the ledge. Invented by skater Mike Smith.

STALEFISH A frontside air in which the skateboarder extends the front

LEFT-FOOT BRAKING In rally, a driver brakes with his left foot while keeping his right foot on the gas to turn while maintaining speed.

LUC-E GRIND When a BMX rider slides along a ledge with pedal and back peg while his front wheel and front peg hang below the ledge. Pronounced “lucky” and named for creator John “Luc-e” Englebert. MANUAL In moto X and skate, a wheelie. In BMX, a wheelie without pedaling.

McTWIST When a skater leaves the lip of a vert ramp riding forward, rotates backside 540° while performing a front flip, then lands riding forward. Invented by Mike McGill.

MELON GRAB In skateboarding, grabbing the heel-side of the board by reaching behind the front leg with the front hand.

METHOD Classic aerial. The skater grabs the board’s heel edge with the front hand, then yanks it up toward his back. Popularized by Neil Blender as a method of catching more air.

MUTE GRAB A skater’s front hand grabs the board between the toes, with the knees tucked inside or outside the arms.

NAC NAC When a moto X or BMX

stall the BMX bike on top of a ramp or park obstacle.

FRONTSIDE When a skater’s body faces the arc of a jump or park obstacle.

HAND-BRAKE TURN In rally, a driver throws the emergency brake, locking the rear wheels to initiate a lateral slide on a tight turn.

HARDFLIP A skate move combining a pop shove-it (see definition) and kickflip—the board turns 180° and flips behind the skater.

HART ATTACK In moto X, a rider puts one hand on bike seat and the other hand on handlebar and does a handstand above the bike, named by old-school rider Carey Hart.

HEEL CLICKER When a moto X rider swings his legs forward and outside his arms, then clicks his heels together.

HOLESHOT The goal of every rider in a moto X race, to shoot to the front and be in the lead out of the first turn.

HURRICANE When a skater rides toward the lip of a pipe, swings his board almost 270° backside, drops a feeble grind on the lip, then pivots slightly and rolls back into the pipe. The name describes the trick’s rapid, twisting motion.

ICE PICK GRIND To slide a BMX bike along a box or rail on the rear peg, with the front wheel angled skyward.

INDY GRAB When a skater grabs the toe-side of the board with his rear hand.

JAPAN AIR When a skater grabs the toe-side of the board with the front hand, then twists his chest away while pulling the board behind him. Must be seen to be appreciated.

KICKFLIP When a skater Ollies (see definition), then kicks out her front foot to spin the board horizontally. Variation: Heelflip A rider starts the spin with the front heel.

KISS OF DEATH A midair, bent-elbow handstand above the moto X bike—so the rider can practically smooch the front fender. Variation: Tsunami (a.k.a. Ruler) A kiss of death with straight arms.

FAKIE In BMX, riding backward. In skate, riding backward with feet positioned as if riding forward.

FEEBLE GRIND A skater Ollies (see definition) onto a rail and performs a rear-truck grind while the front truck juts over the rail at an angle. In BMX, a rider grinds his back peg on a rail while the front wheel hangs over the rail at an angle.

50-50 To grind a rail on both trucks of a skateboard. Variation: 5-0 Grind with the back truck and tail.

FLAIR A vert ramp aerial in BMX that combines a backflip and a 180. Variation: Double Flair BMX guru Kevin Robinson won gold at the 2006 X Games by pulling two backflips with a 180.

FLATSPIN In BMX, a rider and/or bike spins on the horizontal axis.

FOOTJAM NOSEPICK To jam a foot between front tire and fork to

BLUNTSLIDE

FLAIR

ROCK SOLID

HURRICANE

GLOSSARY

X GAMES PREVIEW CONTRIBUTORS: ELENA BERGERON, NICOLE DREON, MARY FENTON, STEVE MAzzUCCHI, KEVIN MCAVOY, CHRIS PALMER, ALYSSA ROENIGK, BRIAN TUNNEY, CODY YORK

LOsT in LinGO? FOR THE X GaMEs’ 15TH biRTHDaY, WE PREsEnT a REFREsHER On aLL THE MOVEs THE aCTiOn CROWD HOLDs DEaR.

THE X GAMES TRICK GLOSSARY

FROM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TO WHIP